As I  mentioned previously, purchasing dependable gloves these days can be overwhelming. There are so many decisions to make (i.e. Manufacturers, price, style, color, player position, break in periods) that you could spend hours at one of your local sporting goods stores and still come out confused.

I want to dedicate this page to some of the more important topics regarding baseball and softball glove purchases and caring for your investment once you make a purchase.  The more knowledge you have before you go buy your glove, the easier and more fun it will be. (and less stressful!) Each week I’ll cover a different subject that should help you out with questions you may have.  If you don’t see something on here that you think should be covered or may be interesting, e-mail me at john@prolacegloves.com and I’ll do my best to get it published on here.

Taking care of your glove

My first topic is on how to take care of your glove once you decide to make a purchase, or better yet, have your faithful companion relaced and reconditioned by a professional glove repair company. Your glove is an extension of your hand, so you want to treat it like part of your body. We’ll cover both the right and wrong ways to handle your glove so that it lasts you for years to come.

Do keep your glove in a storage bag or at least cover it with a cloth. This prevents dirt and other debris from building up on your glove and getting into the pores of the leather.

And now for the dont’s:

Don’t let your glove get wet. Excessive wetting will cause your glove to stretch and shrink and over time will dry out the leather. This is the number one problem we see when relacing gloves and the number one reason that laces  have to be replaced!

Don’t store your glove in high heat areas such as the trunk of your vehicle or under a window where there is direct sunlight.

Don’t over oil your glove. (A little conditioner goes a long way so be careful.) Over oiling causes your glove to get heavy and slows down your reaction time in the field!

If you remember to follow these simple suggestions, I guarantee it will add years onto your mitt and you won’t have to worry about breaking in a new one come next season.